Cartridge case hardening apparatus



Oct. 24, 1961 E, J, CARB() E1- AL 3,005,894

CARTRIDGE CASE HARDENING APPARATUS Filed DSC. 16, 1957 I7 OOOOOOOOOOOO O 655 e OOOO o e e o O 49 0 I9 Mofor m OO 9 e e e g Q50 09 l 42 40 OO e h e e O o e e @jaw 35 fr# foo 47 o f fg i 36 O e w e o 48 o e fe l g 0 es 67 emo S19 f 36 I o Q@ 5e 4e @9 O, l l ,'2' e 9 0 9| gg ,o @|9' @f Lo 1IL| f| I i I3 C@ o se a! C@ 2--1 l I4 e e 75 l 44l e 25 l l 0 57 45 Q l l5 64 C@D l e e2 65 l l Q O o 'L 38 @Q e e o l o s @L o o |8 G e E@ e o O o e @i 2O 37 e e ION Hopper @@ag- 9 g Q fls 80 8| 24 2| 22 F|g.2. 79 |67 23 '2 0 25 9 www E gV' 5 T: g-BZ 7e Moving 52 I9 9,/77 75 S267 27 40 Mean s 70 n 72 73 olce Indexing 42 g 74-1 Mechanism E'M'E es 3B 1 j 37 5 @L 39 3 l I I l l e464 63 56 se v l l im 9o 43 675 INVENToRs Fig?. .[29' 85g 7 62 z r50 (I5 Edward J Corbo ond B7 ,33| 1Q- Rober? E Seehusen.

* i if .max- BY e :1i-mi' i9' 7K /M o 58 6| 59 48 49 53 ATT RNEY UnitedStates Patent O 3,005,894 CARTRIDGE CASE HARDENING APPARATUS Edward J. Carbo, Towson, and Robert F. Seehusen,

Catonsville, Md., assignors toy Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 703,063 6 Claims. (Cl. 219-10.69)

ICC

I arms steel cartridge case hardening apparatus in which spaced intervals around the periphery thereof for receiving, cases to be hardened and moving the cases several at a time into positions adjacent the coil where they are induction heated, means including a plurality of spider arms for holding the cases in desired positions in the plate member, discharge vmeans Afor discharging heated cases, and quenching `and conveying means for delivering the hardened cases to a delivery point.

Apparatus embodying the instant invention, which varies -in several respects from that just describedmay comprise a ring of refractory material mounted on an indexing plate, the ring having a series of bores therein at spaced intervals, the bores extending all the way through the ring; the cases to be hardened are fed by feederV means into the bores a number of cases at a time, for example, four cases. The depth of the bores and accordingly the corresponding dimension of the ring are preferably substantially equal-to the height of the cases. The cases are bottomedV against movable or :retractable segments of a support member or indexing plate located below the ring containingy the cases, and one index movement of the ring member and plate Vmoves all four cases toward agrnultiturn bonnet type inductor 'coil which is provided for heating, moving them a suflicient distance to clear the .feeder means, so that four additional cases can` be loaded into.v the ring upon the nex-t operation of the feeder means, resulting in a continual how of cases indexing around the apparatus toward the aforementioned inductor coil. As the cases are indexed into the coil, they pass under a hold-downbar of quartz or other similar material -which is provided to keep the cases from being lifted by magnetic forces. As the cases enter the Y field of the aforementioned inductor coil, the head only of each case is preheated, since the headhas much more mass than the side walls and requires a longer heating time to obtain the uniform temperature required. The inductor heating coil is constructed and :arranged so that as the cases are brought uniformly torthe proper hardening temperature'they are indexed to the discharge position where the segment underneath the immediately adjoining portion of the aforementioned ring is Withdrawn and the cases drop down, for example, four at a time, into a quench tank ,locatedbeneath the indexing apparatus. During their fall `the cases are held in vertical positions, that is, mouth down, by guide Wires, and inside the tank they land on a discharge conveyor beltv which carries them up and over one side of'the quench tank to a chute, whence they move to a delivery point.

Accordingly, a primary object of the instant invention is to provide new Iand improved small arms cartridge case hardening apparatus employinginduction heating.

Another object ofthe instant invention is to provide cases to be hardened may be processed at a high production rate.

A further object is to provide new and improved case hardening apparatus in which the handling of the cases to be hardened is entirely automatic throughout theentire process.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent after a study of the following specifica-tion when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of apparatus constructed according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view partially broken away of the apparatus of FIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1. Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used throughout to designate like parts, for a more detailed understanding of the invention, and in particular to PIG. 2 thereof, there is shown at 10 a hopper for receiving cases to be hardened. The hopper 10 may be of any convenientj design provided that it is constructed and arranged to pass the cart-ridge cases in head-up positions to a plurality of tubes, `for example, tubes 1l1, 12, 13 and 14, FIG. 1, whence they lare passed to a feeding and escapement mechanism generally designated 15 and hereinafter to be` more fully described.

In FIG. l, to which particulargattention is directed, there is shown `at '16 a ring member which is composed of any suitable refractory material and having a series of bores 17 therein yat equally spaced intervals, the bores -17 extending through the ming and being of suitable dimensions to receive t-he cartridge cases 18, FIGS.`1 and 2, to be hardened. Preferably, as seen in FIG. 2, the'ring member 16 has a height or width which is substantially equal to the length of the cartridge cases vto be hardened. The use of a suitable 4refractory material for ring I1.6 maintains heat loss from the side walls of casesA at a minimum. The cases 18, while in the bores 17,-normally bottom against movable segments 19 of a supportingmember generally designated 9, and which are located below the ring member 16, FIG. 2. Member 9 and ring 16 are rotated or indexed in steps together,.as will hereinafter become more clearly apparent.

As previously stated, a bonnettype inductor heating coil is provided, mounted by any suitable means, not shown, the coil beingdesignated 20'and having two turns-21 and 2 2, FIG. 2, which extendsomewhatbeyond the other turns of the coil-for causing heating of the head portions of the cartridge cases sooner than heating begins in the 'remainder of the cases, to thereby insure that the greater mass of the head portion is heated substantially to the same temperature as vthe remainder of the case. ',As a cartridge case 18 is indexed by ring 16 in the direction of the heating coil 20, the head of car.- tridge case ,18 moves under one end of a hold-downbar 23, the hold-down bar 23 being composed of quartz-or other suitable material and supportedby arms 24 and 25 which are mounted by or secured to any convenient means, not shown; the hold'do wnvbar 23 prevents the cartridge cases from being lifted by magnetic forces created by the coil 20. The inductor coil generally designated 20 is energized from a suitable source of potential 26 which is connected tothe coil 20 by leads 27 and 28, FIG. 2. Source 26 may provide an alternating current of, for example, l0,000 cycles per second.

The ring cartridge case holding member 16 is, as aforementioned, arranged to receive at one time four cases to be hardened from the four tubes 11, 12, 13 and 14 by way of the escapement and feeding mechanism 15 while the ring member 16 is stationary; the ring member 16 is thereafter moved, rotated, or indexed a short angular distance corresponding to the distance between four bores or, in other words, the ring is rotated a distance which allows the next adjacent four holes or bores to be lled with cases by the next operation of the escapement or feeding mechanism 15. At the same time, cases -to be hardened which are located in the bores 17 are rotated another step toward the heating coil 20, and after a group of four cases to be hardened has been rotated to the right-hand end of the heating coil 20 as seen in FIG. l, they are then indexed to the next adjacent four hole positions and the retractable segment .19' located underneath the last-named four bores 17 in ring member 16 is withdrawn inwardly to the position shown in FIG. l, permitting the heated cartridge cases to be dropped into four properly spaced tubes located underneath the ring member 16, one of the tubes being shown at 29, FIG. 2, mounted in any suitable support 82, whence the heated cases are guided downward by four wires 30, 31, 32 and 33 which extend into a quenching liquid 34 which may be any suitable quenching liquid, for example, a solution of caustic soda, contained within the quenching tank 35. Located within the quenching tank 35 is a continuous movable belt 36 adapted to receive the cases that are dropped thereon, the belt 36 being mounted on a pair of rollers 37 and 38, shaft 39 being journalled for rotation with respect to roller 37, and roller 38 being splined or otherwise secured for rotation with a shaft 40, which has any convenient moving means 41 operatively connected thereto, such, for example, as a motor of controllable speed, so that the cases 18 dropped onto the belt 36 remain in the quenching uid 34 for the desired period of time. Cases are brought up by the belt 36 and are deposited on the chute 42 whence they may be dropped into any convenient receiving apparatus or moved to a delivery point.

Particular reference should be made now to FIG. 1 in which additional details of the apparatus for insuring that heated cases are dropped into the quenching tank 35 after they have passed the end of the coil 20 are shown. A stationary circular plate cam 43 is provided as shown, having a bore 83 centrally located therein, FIG. 3, in which there is disposed a rotatable shaft 75 provided for purposes to be hereinafter described. Connected to cam 43 is a cylindrical member 84 having a flange portion 85 secured to cam 43 by bolts 86. Member 84 may have the upper end thereof fixed to any convenient support, not shown, for preventing movement or rotation of cam 43. Cam 43 has at a predetermined position thereina single slot 44, FIG. 1, the slot 44 having one relatively sharp edge 45 and on the other side thereof, a tapering or sloping edge or working surface 46. Each of the aforementioned movable segments 19, several of which are shown fully with portions in dashed outline in FIG. 1, has a head portion and a shank portion, and has a cam follower 47 mounted upon a pin 48 mounted on the upper surface of the inner end of the segment 19. Each of the aforementioned movable vsegments 19 has a slot 49 therein through which extends a bolt 50, a portion of the shank of the bolt 50 extending through a bore 51 in a bottom supporting plate 52 in a manner shown in more detail in FIG. 3, the head 53 of the bolt 50 extending beyond the supporting plate 52, and the threaded end of the bolt 50 having a washer 54 and in threaded engagement thereon a nut 55. The slot 49 permits movement of the segment 19 axially as aforementioned when the segment is retracted to perrrut the heated cases in the portion of the ring 16 immediately above to drop into tubes 29. Bolts 50 establish the inner and outer limits o-f movement in accordance with the length of the slot 49. Mounted upon the aforementioned cam 43 is a movable spring loaded arm 56, the arm 56 having a slot 57 therein, the slot 57 encompassing two pins 58 and 59 which are securely disposed in bores 60 and 61, FIG. 3, the pins 58 and 59 having on their upper ends washers 62 and 63 and head or nut 64 and 65. The washers 62 and 63 are seen, FIG. l, to extend over the portions of the top surface of arm 56 adjacent slot 57, thereby preventing movement of arm 56 in a Vertical direction while permitting free movement in a radial direction. The arm 56 has an underhanging or downwardly extending lip portion 66, FIG. 3, which is adapted to engage the aforementioned cam followers 47, and when a cam follower 47 is moved by rotation of ring 16 and support member 9 into position adjacent the aforementioned slot 44, the lip portion 66 engages the cam follower 47 and moves the cam follower 47 and the attached movable segment 19 inwardly to the position shown by the segment designated 19 in FIG. 1. The arm 56 is moved in response to contraction of a spring 67, FIG. l, which has one end secured by a pin 68 mounted securely in cam 43 and the other end connected to the arm 56 by the pin or arm 69 secured to arm 56. As the aforementioned mounting means generally designated 9 including the plate 52 and the segments 19 mounted thereon, and the ring member 16 rotate further with respect to the cam 43 and the arm 56, the aforementioned tapered working surface 46 forces the cam follower 47 outwardly, carrying the arm 56 therewith against the tension of spring 67, and the arm 56 remains at its outer or right-hand extremity as viewed in FIG. 1 until the slot 44 comes adjacent the next succeeding cam follower 47, whereupon the operation is repeated and another movable segment 19 is drawn inward and thereafter forced outward. While the aforementioned segment 19' is drawn inward toward the cam member 43 to the position shown by 19 in F-IG. 1, the four bores 17 normally closed at the bottom ends thereof by the segment 19' are open, and cases 18 mounted therein are dropped into the short tube sections 29 as aforementioned, and thence are dropped into the quenching liquid 34.

The aforementioned ring 16 is seen, FIGS. 1 and 3, to have an inwardly extending flange or lip portion 87, having spaced bores 88 therein for receiving bolts or screws 89. Mounted upon aforementioned plate member 52 and disposed between the shank portions of adjacent movable segments 19 are guide members 90 secured to plate 52 by screws 91, FIGS. 1 and 3. Guide members 90 are further secured to plate 52 by aforementioned bolts or screws 89, which clamp the aforementioned flange portion 87 to the upper surfaces of the outer ends of guide members 90, and also extend through bores 92 in the guide members 90 into threaded bores 93 in plate 52. The guide members 90, movable segments 19, and plate 52 make up the aforementioned support structure generally designated 9.

Plate member 52 is splined or otherwise secured for rotation with shaft 75, FIG. 3. Member 52 is rotatably supported by ball bearings 94 upon a mounting member 95 having bore 96 therein for the free passage of the shaft 75, and ball bearings 97 disposed between plate member 52 and the lower surface of aforementioned stationary cam member 43 provide for substantially frictionless rotation of plate 52 with respect to cam 43, while still providing, if desired, some support for cam 43.

)Particular attention should be paid now to FIG. 2, in which mechanism for driving the aforedescribed apparatus is shown to comprise a motor 70 which may be of the adjustable speed variety and which is coupled by shaft means 71 and 72 to an indexing mechanism generally designated 73, the motor 70 and indexing mechanism 73 being mounted upon a suitable mounting plate 74. The indexing mechanism 73 is constructed and arranged to rotate the shaft Y75, which operatively connects the mechanism 7,3 to the aforementioned mounting plate 52, an angular distance corresponding to the distance required toY move four of the aforementioned bores 17 past any preselected point, and thereafter the indexing mechanism 73 is constructed and arranged to maintain the plate 52 in a substantially stationary position for a brief interval of time while the aforementioned escapement and feed mechanism is operated, during ing the stationary period, to feed four cartridge cases to be hardened into bores 17 of the aforementioned ring member 16, Vand also provide for the discharge of four heated cartridge cases upon the withdrawal of one of the segments to the position shown by the segment 19', FIG. 1.

Coupled to the aforementioned shaft 75 by coupling 76 is anV additional shaft 77 connected to moving means of any convenient design or construction 78; the moving means 78 is coupledby coupling means 79 80 and 81 to the aforementioned escapement and feed mechanism 15, which is constructed and arranged as aforementioned to feed casings from each of the tubes 11, 12, 13 and 14 into the corresponding bores 17 in the circular ring 16 and to thereafter prevent further feeding of cartridge cases until the next indexing operation.

Coil 2i) may, if desired, be composed of hollow copper tubing andbe water-cooled, any convenient means, not shown, being provided for circulating water in the coil and conducting water to and from the coil.

Motors 70 and 41v may have any com venient means, not shown, for example rheostats, for adjusting the speeds thereof.

Cases 18 may be heated to any .desired temperatures, for example, 1800 to 19009.13.

The conveyor belt 36 may move at any convenient speed, for example 30 ft./min.

Whereas ring member 16 has been shown and described as one piece, it could be segmented if desired.

Whereas in the apparatus described hereinabove preheating of the head portions of the cartridge cases is accomplished by having turns 21 and 22 of coil 20 extend farther toward the feeding mechanism 15, as shown in FIG. l, the desired result could be accomplished by having more turns closer spaced adjacent the path of travel of the head portions of the cases.

In the operation of the apparatus, the speed of movement of ring 16 is adjusted manually by varying the speed of motor 70 in accordance with the heat induced by coil 20 and the size and material of the shell casings to be heat treated.

Any convenient means, not shown, for example, a rheostat in the eld winding of the generator supplying the high-frequency current to the leads 27 and 28, may be provided for adjusting the energization of coil 20.

Whereas the invention has been shown and described with reference to feeding means which feeds four cases at a time into the ring member, it should be understood that one or any convenient number could be fed by the feeding mechanism, in accordance with the dimensions of the retractable segments.

Whereas the invention has been shown and described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof which gives satisfactory results, it should be understood that changes may be made and equivalents substituted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim as our invention:

l. Heating apparatus comprising, in combination, a ring member rotatable Aabout a vertical axis and having a plurality of circumferentially-spaced-apart bores opening vertically therethrough for receiving elongated workpieces to be heated in an upright position, actuating means operatively connected to said ring member, a support member disposed beneath and rotatable with said ring member, said support member comprising -a plurality of equal segments respective -to equal groups of said bores each of which segments is normally disposed in a workpiece-supporting position and is slidable horizontally to a radialwise inwardly displaced non-supporting position to uncover the bottoms of the bores respective thereto for gravity ejection of the Workpieces therein, means defining a gravity ejection station above which such bores are advanced during rotary movement of said ring member, and means for actuating the segments of said support member successively automatically upon attainment of said ejection station.

2. Heating apparatus comprising, in combination, a ring member rotatable about a vertical axis and having a plurality of circumferentially-spaced-apant bores opening vertically therethrough forreceiving elongated workpieces to be heated in an upright position, actuating' means operatively connected to said ring member, -a support member disposed beneath and rotatable with said ring member, said support member comprising a plurality of equal segments respective to equal groups of said bores each of which segments is normally disposed in a workpiece-supporting position beneath respective ones of said bores and is actuable along a horizontal plane to radialwise inwardly displaced non-supporting position to uncover the bottoms of the bores respective thereto for gravity ejection of the workpieces therein, means defining a gravity ejection station above which such bores are advanced during rotary movement of said ring member, a stationary circular cam member disposed coaxially of said support member and having a tapered slot formed in its outer periphery in coincidence with said ejection station, a plurality of cam follower Yrollers carried respectively by the Vsegments of said support member, and a movable member associated with said cam member to urge successive ones of said rollers into said slot for actuating the respective segments of said support member from their workpiece-supporting to their non-supporting positions. coincidental to their entry into said ejection station. Y

3. Heating apparatus comprising, in combination, a ring member rotatable about a vertical axis and having a plurality of circumferentially-spaced-apait bores opening vertically therethrough for receiving elongated workpieces to be heated in an upright position, actuating means operatively connected to said ring member, a support member disposed beneath `and rotatable with said ring member, said support member comprising a plurality of equal segments respective to equal groups of said bores each of which segments is normally disposed in a workpiece-supporting position beneath respective ones of said bores and is actuable along a horizontal pla-ne to a radialwise inwardly displaced non-supporting position to uncover -the lbottoms of the bores respective thereto for gravity ejection of the workpieces therein, means defining a gravity ejection station above which such bores are advanced yduring rotary movement of said ring member, a plurality of rollers carried respectively by the support member segments, stop means defining the radially-outward workpiece-supporting positions of the support member segments wherein said rollers are in radial alignment, a stationary cam member having a circular peripheral surface coaxial with said ring member for cooperation with said rollers as a radially inward stop normally maintaining their radial -alignment and having -a tapered groove extending radial-ly inward of said circular peripheral surface in coincidence with said ejection station for successive accommodation of each of said rollers to permit successive radialwise movement of each respective support member segment from its workpiece-supporting position to its non-supporting position during its rotary movement into said ejection station and to cause return of such support member segment to its workpiece-supporting position during its rotary movement Ifrom said ejection station, spring means, an arm inwardly biased by said spring means and movable radially of said cam member in alignment with its tapered groove, said arm having a transverse shoulder spanning such groove behind which the roller respective to a support member segment entering said ejection station moves radially inw-ard by said spring means via said shoulder `and which is advanced outwardlyby such roller in moving along said groove to permit such entry of the succeeding roller.

4. A system suited for treating shell casing and the like comprising a conveyor rotatable step-by-step about a vertical laxis and having structure deiining bores dimensioned to receive individual shell casings, said bores being disposed with their kaxes parallel to said axis and in angularly spaced relation about said axis, transfer means disposed at a station above the path of said bores and voperative during successive dwells of said conveyor successively to drop casings into said bores upon their arrival at said station, said conveyor including reciprocable gates for closure of the bottoms of said bores in time to retain therein the casings received from said transfer means, a treating tunnel disposed beyond said station and dimensioned to embrace -a portion of the path of movement of the upper ends of casings in said bores, and means comprising cam structure for effecting retraction of said gates from their closed position for discharging the casings from said bores after movement within said treating tunnel.

5. In apparatus for uniformly heating elongated workpieces having lengthwise portions of diiering mass, the combination of workpiece carrier means for conveying such workpieces along a prescribed path in an attitude perpendicular to such path, and a multi-turn open-end induction heating coil having a plurality of side portions of unequal length extending different distances along opposite sides of said path in perpendicularly spaced-apart parallel relationship with said path, between which side p01'-a tions the aforesaid lengthwise portions of said workpieces pass respectively, with those side portions extending the greater distance being located for traverse by the workpiece portions of greatest mass and the shorter ones of said side portions being located for traverse by the workpiece portions of lesser mass, whereby such portions of greater mass will be subject to the heating eiect of said coil for a longer period of time than workpiece portions of lesser mass and the workpieces including such portions will become uniformly heated.

6. In apparatus for heating elongated workpieces having lengthwise portions of differing mass, the combination of workpiece carrier means for conveying such workpieces along a prescribed path in an attitude perpendicular to such path7 and an open-end multi-turn induction heating coil having a plurality of side portions of unequal length extending diterent distances along opposite sides of said path in perpendicularly spaced-apart parallel relationship with said path, between which side portions the aforesaid lengthwise portions of said workpieces pass respectively, said diierent distances along said path affording compensation for the differing mass of the lengthwise portions of the workpieces to be passed therebetween, whereby such portions of differing mass will be subject to the heating effect of said coil for differing periods of time and the workpieces including such portions will become heated accordingly.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 22,322 Goodridge May 25, 1943 1,385,480 Turtle July 26, 1921 1,836,337 Riblett Dec. 15, 1931 2,142,139 Machlet Ian. 3, 1939 2,182,799 Farr Dec. 12, 1939 2,414,362 Denneen et al. Jan. 14, 1947 2,422,417 Hutchinson June 17, 1947 2,470,311 Hoyler et al. ....wwwm May 17, 1949 2,907,858 Distler wwwa Oct. 6, 1959 

